What Drivers Are Saying

The Volkswagen GTI is a hot-hatch that provides sportiness yet saves money at the pump. With its 1.8 Turbo engine, it pumps out nearly 200 horsepower. The interior is well made with details that descend from German intellectuality like a cup holder that hides in the dash when you don't want it and pops out when you do. The looks of this car seem simple yet surprisingly astonishing when compared to other hatches of the same year.

I recently purchased a 2001 GTI and so far I love the cars performance! The cars handleing is a little sloppy, so if you are thinking about buying one the first thing you should upgrade is the suspension.

Have had this 2002 GTI just shy of two years. Purchased from a friend with records. Both in our 40's. Would be heistant if I didn't know the history of these machines especially if someone were to wind them out in the redline too much. Over all, very fun to drive as a daily driver. Quick, snappy, tight and comfortable.
Only gripes are.... 1) glove box handle fell off. Annoying. 2) seatbelt switch malfunctioned and turned off airbags. 1-800 vw of no help 3) the wiring to the coil packs shorted out. That was fun.
Despite above - still fun.

I've owned this car for over 4 years now and have never been disappointed with it's power or performance. From the first time I drove it, the amount of power and zip provided by the 4L 1.8T Turbo shocked me. I was hooked. This car is basically an Audi TT without the 4-wheel drive. Same chassis and same engine.
Addition of the Luxury package (Monsoon stereo system and sunroof) and Winter package (heated seats and rearview mirrors) makes the car feel like an Audi.
With a theft deterrent system and front and side airbags, this car is a safe version of a sup'd up go-cart.
Only mechanical issue was a loose wire in the rear taillight that was draining the battery. After that was fixed, no problems.

I bought this car used with 60K on it in 2006. It is a monster of a little vehicle. love it , love it. I have had no mechanical issue with it what so ever. The engine Pulls like a champ, with amazing torque. The suspension is sporty/stiff, so on long drives it can be not so gentle. The seat warmers and leather are nice =). If you are looking for Porsche-like driving experience at a fraction of the cost, then this is the car for you.

I have had the GTI 1.8T for little over four years now and I have no major complaints. The car has plenty under the hood but is no powerplant. It handles very well and I average roughly 32-34 mpg. One of the headlights keeps going out no matter how many times I replace it and it has had some other minor electrical issues. Also, the plastic coat on the driver and passenger doors (interior) wore off and is starting to look a little cheap. However, the car is very reliable and drives very nicely, particularly in the city. I would recommend this vehicle to people who are looking for an economical sports car with german engineering and reliability.

i recently purchased a vw gti in August of 2005 and ever since then i have had no problems on the overall car itself. i floored it with the turbo screaming quite a few times and occasionaly drive like an old lady but overall the car is better built with quality than the 350z nissan i had previousely though cheaper yet easy to maintaine.

Our Take on the 2002 Volkswagen GTI

The Volkswagen GTI, it can be argued, is the one that showed America that small cars can be fun.

Back in the early '80s, Volkswagen produced it as a sporty variant on the Rabbit theme. Never mind that it had skinny tires and a mere 90 hp, it
spawned a host of imitators and convinced us that even though fuel prices seemed to be heading skyward, driving fun had not been eliminated along with the fire-breathing, big-block V-8.

Almost 20 years later, they're still at it, offering up a pair of
potent alternatives to the more pedestrian Golf, which is available for 2002 with either a service-able 2-liter gas engine or an abstemious turbodiesel. Neither the turbodiesel's 90 hp nor the 2-liter's 115... Read More